The managing director of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Alhaji Ahmed Umar Farouk, has acknowledged the poor state of some facilities in the navigational systems across the airports, assuring that frantic efforts were being made to address them
Speaking at the Annual General Meeting of National Association of Air Traffic Engineers (NAAE) in Abuja, Farouk urged the engineers to come up with solutions that can reposition the agency for better performance.
Represented by his Senior Special Assistant of Operations, Jibril Haske, Farouk noted that the theme of this year’s AGM, “The Integration of AI in CNS/ATM Systems: Economic Implications for the Aviation Industry – The Role of ATSEPs,” could not have been more timely or relevant as it captured a critical aspect of the transformation shaping global aviation and challenges aviation professionals to re- position themselves strategically in this new era.
Farouk outlined some of the achievements made so far to reposition NAMA to include, training and capacity development with extensive training programmes for all categories of staff, including members of NAAE in order to ensure that workforce remained at the forefront of global aviation trends, particularly in the rapidly evolving CNS/ATM space.
On infrastructure development, the NAMA MD said they have undertaken the renovation and reconstruction of several NAMA buildings and offices across various stations while staff promotion and welfare was released which cut across all directorates.
Other achievements listed included the implementation of the new condition of service nearly a decade of needless delays, bickering and controversy and the completion of the rehabilitation of 12 Control Towers across the country, ensuring improved service delivery and operational efficiency.
To enhance safety and efficiency, NAMA under Farouk has procured and installed Instrument Landing Systems (ILS) and Distance Measuring Equipment (DME) at various airports nationwide.
The NAMA MD however commended the minister of aviation and aerospace development, Festus Keyamo for his encouragement and guidance which have been instrumental in driving efforts to transform the Nigerian Airspace.
Farouk noted stressed how the role of Artificial Intelligence in aviation transformation was revolutionizing industries worldwide, adding that the aviation sector was no exception hence, in Communication, Navigation, and Surveillance (CNS) and Air Traffic Management (ATM) systems, AI offers unprecedented opportunities to enhance safety, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness.
In his welcome address, the President of the National Association of Air Traffic Engineers (NAAE) , Mr Selzing Miri, reminded the Airtraffic engineers of their vital role in the transformation of the aviation industry through the provision of their services as the experts responsible for maintaining, repairing, and upgrading the complex electronic systems that underpin the air traffic management.
Miri noted that their expertise and dedication were essential in ensuring the seamless integration of emerging technologies such as AI into the systems while upholding the highest standards of safety and reliability.
He urged the government to consider it’s stands on policies that were not developmental in the industry adding, that there was no trial and error in engineering and called for more trainings and retrainings of the officers of NAAE to develop the skill embedded in them
“As we delve into this fascinating and rapidly evolving field, we must acknowledge the challenges that we currently face as a result of the economic situation in our country. The aviation industry, like many sectors, has not been immune to the economic hardships we are experiencing. The rising costs, budget constraints, and limited resources have put a strain on our ability to innovate and modernize our CNS/ATM systems effectively”.
